"Black Betty"

[dude8383]

Badass!!!

[TrentW]

Black Betty got her some new shoes. I won a $400 certificate for tires/wheels at our Windy City Chapter annual dinner in January and sold the weaves/tires that I spent so much time refinishing, but now she's got 205/55/15 Yoko S Drives on Beyern Mesh wheels and it only cost me $185. Just got the roundel caps in the mail so I took a few photos with them on.

Besides her new shoes, I sourced some grey vinyl door cards from straight6power so they match the seats now. Fixed the arm rest so it sits level too. Found a 318ti antenna base at the salvage yard for $5 and did the power antenna delete mod.

During the cold days I noticed a connecting rod bearing making noise after startup, but this is actually a good thing as I have an extra M20b25 engine that I'm going to swap in after I rebuild it. I also think I have my wife talked into installing a 5 speed along with it! She can drive manual no problem, but she initially wanted to stay with the slushbox. Just need a lower ratio diff as the Seta comes with a 2.93. The only other thing I should need is a 173 ECU. Then I'll use the bottom end to build a stroker for my 89 325is which has already had the top end rebuilt.

Since the wife doesn't like the ride of a lowered car, Betty still sits a little too high for my taste, but I'm thinking of getting drophats at the least. Maybe the Bav Auto springs or I've heard E30 M3 springs might be good too.

Oh, and since the front fenders have a little cancer at the bottoms, plans are to replace them with some rust-free ones and finally get rid of those roundels that the PO mounted.

Here's Betty posing for some photos...

[TrentW]

Been awhile since the last update, so here's what's new with Betty. Replaced the school bus wheel with a sport wheel courtesy of a friend. Replaced the timing belt, tensioner and water pump. The belt was pretty well dried out and cracked--I was lucky that I got in there in time. Got rid of the damned blue pinstriping. Sold the cassette holder console and replaced with tray version since I didn't like the alarm light the PO installed. Biggest project was refinishing the weaves myself, came out great and I actually like the Dupli-Color silver wheel paint--slightly lighter and more metallic than OEM, especially with three coats of clear. Gonna give them a few more days to cure the paint before getting tires mounted...

I'll post up more photos soon, the car is actually parked out at O'Hare since my wife is in ATL right now. ;)

[sector6]

does a 89' 325is come with an arm rest or is it model specific? I don't have one in my IS.

[TrentW]

i have the same ridiculous blue pinstripe mocking me every time i get into my car.

That pinstripe will be gone by Sunday evening.

And for my fellow "Black Betty" owner...

[sector6]

nice find 4 $800! looks super clean and straight! gd luck with it!

[newman]

Man.

Your before motor pic makes me so fucking pissed.



I HATE SNOW. I DON'T WANT IT TO SNOW HERE UGHHHHHH.

[damith]

After steam cleaning carpets...

Nice. It has the tape holder

[dude8383]

do you have a better pic of that center armrest for the front passengers?

[fleece johnson]

i have the same ridiculous blue pinstripe mocking me every time i get into my car.

[iamsam]

wow that is extremely nice for $800. But i agree, do the 5-speed swap.

I love what you did with the engine bay.

[nadodude111]

my seats have those exact same papers under them. i cant read what they say though.

[TrentW]

After steam cleaning carpets...

[Motorsports]

She cleans up really nice.

[TrentW]

Damn--that mirror collision must not have affected your vision at all! Looked and I don't have one on the '89 either--where exactly does it go?